Some time ago I was struggling with personal motivation. Why was I doing what I’m doing, and was there better ways I could use my abilities and time to serve God? I often felt that I was spending a lot of time on things that weren’t really valuable or making a difference. Oddly enough, the as I began using a todo list I began to develop a better sense of clarity. Justin Rosenstein, in his presentation to Chicago Ideas Week (which I posted in last weeks blog), states that we need three levels of clarity to feel like we are living life to the fullest:

Clarity of Purpose – Why are we doing what we are doing? What is the larger purpose that your works connect with? How does this affect our larger community? This makes even the more mundane things we do important because we see them as a part of the larger whole.

Clarity of Plan – The plan creates of peace because you know you aren’t forgetting things. Nothing that you could foresee will drop through the cracks. Sure, there may be things that you can’t foresee, but because you had a plan, it is now easier to improvise. Having a plan will give us courage us to take on even larger projects as we gain trust that our plans can succeed.

Clarity of Responsibility – This will avoid duplicated effort, and creates accountability for what is being accomplished. Ultimately one person is responsible for accomplishing their scope of work by a specific amount of time. They may need other people to help them, but it actually empowers people to make sure that particular task gets done. This also allows people to thrive in their specific gifts, and yet leverage the power of teamwork to do great things together.

To add to Justin’s talk, a “Clear vision of Christ” will help us realize there are things that are not in our control, but that we serve someone who we can trust with our past, our present, and our future.

“The difference between a team that lacks this clarity and a team that does know what they are doing is the difference between a team of people who have grand ambitions that remain pipe dreams and a team of people who are able to succeed in contributing their unique gifts to this world …and participate in this community and actually succeed in helping humanity thrive. ” – Justin Rosenstein Co-founder, Asana.

]]>https://washburnchialpha.com/clarity-spirituality-of-a-todo-list-pt-2/feed/0Spirituality of a Todo List: Our Work Has a Deeper Purposehttps://washburnchialpha.com/spirituality-of-a-todo-list-our-work-has-a-deeper-purpose/
https://washburnchialpha.com/spirituality-of-a-todo-list-our-work-has-a-deeper-purpose/#commentsTue, 09 Sep 2014 03:35:10 +0000http://wu.ltchialpha.com/?p=222As you are starting your semester, it is easy to view your homework (or work in general) as being something that is a drag on life. I used to find myself thinking, “if I could just get through this, then someday I will get to doing something important.” But what if there was a deeper purpose to what you are learning and to what you are doing? What if you could find a deep sense of satisfaction, joy, or purpose? What if the work you are doing is part of your contribution to community? Your learning, your studying, and your homework is part of your growth, but also our community’s potential growth, and has potential to change the world. This isn’t just the case for those in social services and religion, but even for those in business and technology. To quote Justin Rosenstein from Asana, with today’s technology we “have a greater capacity to change the world than the kings and presidents of one hundred years ago.”

Though he is not a Christian, I admire much of Justin Rosensteins ethic and sense of community, and purpose, “to help humanity thrive.” Each moment of your day, everything you do comes down to doing your best in life to contribute to humanity (this reminds me a bit of J I Packer’s Christianity: the True Humanism.) I personally think this goes beyond work, to even your relationships. What if each of us was about helping the other thrive? What if we used our gifts, talents, and abilities to help one another be their very best? And what if we actually had enough focus and clarity to see how each moment of our day fit into the larger purpose?

Because of this, my todo list is growing, but not just to prioritize getting things done, but to prioritize the people and the impact that I could have. It helps me find a pace in life that is both impactful, and sustainable for the long haul. It is both challenging and inspiring to live that intentionally, but perhaps it is the life worth living.

Here is Justin’s video at Chicago Ideas Week talking about these concepts.

]]>https://washburnchialpha.com/spirituality-of-a-todo-list-our-work-has-a-deeper-purpose/feed/1The Syllabus, Procrastination, and Fearhttps://washburnchialpha.com/the-syllabus-procrastination-and-fear/
https://washburnchialpha.com/the-syllabus-procrastination-and-fear/#respondFri, 29 Aug 2014 05:13:49 +0000http://wu.ltchialpha.com/?p=202One thing I remember from my first week of classes at college and graduate school was the overwhelming sense of work ahead as I looked over the new syllabus. It was like standing at the base of a mountain with an empty backpack, but with each bullet point class requirement a giant weight was added to the pack. Usually I was excited about the classes, and initially optimistic about how much work I could accomplish early in the semester. But as the weeks began to tick away I would find reason after reason to delay the work which I knew was inevitable. With each day of delay it became more difficult, and the weight began to take its toll on my shoulders.

Though I developed a great ability to work under pressure, and usually pulled things off, I think my procrastination was actually motivated by fear of failure. If I did poorly, but had really worked long and hard in advance, then what did that say about me? But, if I had cranked out the assignment at the last minute and pulled off an acceptable grade, then I could always console myself that I could have done even better, maybe gotten the A, if I really applied myself. Procrastination is often the perverted result of perfectionism, and not wanting to face the possibility of failing our self-expectations. What if my best doesn’t really shine?

At our first Chi Alpha group we explored some of the challenges presented by life in general, and life as a student in particular. We looked at the story of Jesus calming the storm in Luke chapter 8. Just as Jesus’ disciples let their fears fill their vision, and sometimes failed to recognize that the Son of God was with them during the storm, so we often let our fears get out of control.

Sometimes looking at our fears can magnify them. However, it is often good to identify those areas that keep us in a panic. What are your concerns or anxieties about this next semester?

Next time when you feel the weight building up, or the anxiety starting to grow, ask “who is in the boat with me?” or “who is this one that even the winds and waves obey?”

]]>https://washburnchialpha.com/the-syllabus-procrastination-and-fear/feed/0First Gathering @ Washburn Fall 2014https://washburnchialpha.com/first-gathering-washburn/
https://washburnchialpha.com/first-gathering-washburn/#respondThu, 28 Aug 2014 23:20:18 +0000http://wu.ltchialpha.com/?p=185We had a great BBQ last night, and had a ton of fun meeting students over the past week. Whether or not you’ve met anyone, or know what Chi Alpha is all about, come to the first gathering @ The Stauffer Commons in the Memorial Union at 8:30 tonight! It will be a friendly and casual atmosphere, and you will have the chance to meet other students, leaders who care about you, and have a discussion on meaningful topics.